Angel or Demon
by FateBreaker7
Summary: A vampire saves Beth from death one night and ends up meeting Mick. Thing is she's newly turned and has no idea how to be a vampire. Will Mick end up getting the family he's always wanted? Or will the bombs tearin up LA tear them all apart: literally.
1. Midnight miracle

**So I'm reposting this before I die of shame, I'm an idiot I get it please trust me when I say I'm not as much as a moron as I appear to be. So without further ado here is Chap I revised. By the Way Moonlight or any of its characters do not belong to ****me,**** what does is my characters and the story line. **

Chapter I The midnight miracle

Beth could barely hold herself together, she was shaking as gasps wracked her body. Tears rolled down her cheeks and onto the picture frame she held in her hand. Behind the glass was Josh's smiling face looking back at her. It was something she would never see again.

Another sob broke through and she curled up on her bed in a ball. It had been nearly a week since he had died, and a week since she had spoken to Mick. She hated him, hated him for not saving her love when he had the chance, and yet…

The memory of her kissing him in the parking lot flashed through her mind and Beth cried even harder. She hated herself, how she even took that small cheat, how she took advantage of the time she had with Josh. And she hated herself for his death, it was her fault anyway, they wanted her not him, if she had just let them have her he would still be alive.

Picking herself from her bed Beth made her way into the kitchen. She placed herself in front of the large block that sheathed all of the knives and picked up one of the slim blades, staring through her tears at the silver blade.

One second was all it would take, one second and one simple movement and then all the pain would be gone. And then maybe, just maybe if there was something like an afterlife she would see him again.

Beth slowly raised the blade to the edge of her throat, her crying increasing with every passing second. She just wanted this pain to go away, she didn't want to feel anymore. Her grip tightened on the knife and she prepared to swoop it up, to end it all.

Before her final act was taken one thought flashed through her mind. _I'm sorry Mick._

She was ready to jab it forward when a voice echoed through the room. "You really shouldn't do that."

Beth gasped and the knife clattered out of the hand. She stared with wide, scared eyes at a teenage girl who was perched on her windowsill. The girl cocked her head and her short blonde hair fell over her face slightly.

"That's really not a good idea," she said sternly. "You can't come back from that, even if you wanted to."

"W-who are you?" Beth stuttered. Tears still streamed down her face and she collapsed onto the tile floor, crying uncontrollably again. She didn't care who this new girl was, not a coherent thought could surface past her misery. All she could do was cry.

Slender arms wrapped around Beth's shoulders and she leaned her head into the girl, sobbing. All she wanted was to be held, have someone else rule her life, she didn't care anymore. Exhaustion overwhelmed her like an anesthetic, numbing the pain that wracked her body. She fell into a deep slumber.

The next morning Beth awoke to the sun streaming on her face. As she shifted to block out the light the previous night's actions crashed down on her. She curled up into a ball again and began to cry. But it wasn't like last night, this cry would stop and it wouldn't run her into a possible suicide attempt. Last night was a turning point for her, it would either make or break her. And she had survived.

The image of the girl crouched on her windowsill flashed through her mind and Beth bolted upright, adrenalin coursing through her. She slid out of her bed, grabbing the bat that sat by the headboard, and cautiously made her way through the house. She peeked around the corner to the kitchen and stiffened as she saw the girl sitting at her table, reading a book.

"I don't bite," the girl said casually, not bothering to look up from her book. "And you can put the bat down, you were better off last night with the knife."

Beth grew even more afraid. So last night wasn't a dream, she did try to kill herself and this..._girl_, did save her. In one way or another.

"Who are you?" she asked, swallowing to steady her voice. "And what do you want?"

The girl slowly set her book down on the table and walked over to Beth's pantry. Beth watch as she rummaged around in it for a minute before pulling out a granola bar.

"Eat, you're running late," she told Beth, throwing the food to her.

Beth caught it awkwardly and glanced at her watch.

"Oh my God," she said panicked. "I've got an interview in a half hour, I am so late."

As she ran off back into her room to get ready the girl chuckled and sat back down, resuming to read her book.

Ten minutes later a hazard looking Beth flew through the kitchen, stopping dead in her tracks as she saw the teenager leaning against the table.

"Mind if I tag along?" she asked happily.

"Uhhh, sure?" Beth answered too stunned to say anything else. It wasn't that she trusted this girl, but she had saved her life and could have hurt her anytime she was sleeping. The least thing she could do was find out what she wanted. Besides she was too curious to let this go now.

"Thanks, my name is Jack, it's short for Jacqueline."

"Beth," Beth said a little more comfortable. "No offense but shouldn't you be getting home to your par-"

"Interview Beth?" Jack chuckled.

"Oh no I'm going to be late!" Beth shouted.

She ran out the door in a frenzy, followed closely by a smiling Jack. Suddenly Jack stopped in the doorway and she grabbed the frame with enough force to crack it. Her pupils contracted and her eyes flashed icy blue. Fangs formed from her teeth for a second and a light hiss crossed her lips. The transformation only took a second but when it was done Jack was shaking her head.

"Now stop that," she told herself panting. She stood up taller and put on a black pair of sunglasses before following Beth, a little grimmer this time.

_HEHE, cliffy.__Gotta__ love it.__ But I can't hold it to you for long, next Chap will be up pronto._


	2. Three's a crowd, Four's a fight

**You can flame me, I deserve it, my 1****st**** chapter was horrible, ****you'd**** think I didn't even know moonlight, UHG! I look back on it in shame. I promise that will never happen again, my problem was I was writing it about 3am and hadn't had sleep for maybe 20 hours, for me that can do a lot. So again I'm sorry, I'm probably going to end up rewriting the whole thing just for some kind of way to keep a tiny amount of pride. **

**So again, sorry.**** --**

**P.S. I apologize for not posting in forever, life got in the way like a brick wall. I did manage to write the outline up though so posts should be ****sooooooo**** much sooner than this one.**** Oh and Moonlight does not belong to me…obviously**

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Chapter II Threes a crowd, fours a fight

"That was the worse interview I think I've ever done," Beth sighed.

She walked down a set of granite stairs and back to her car, rubbing her forehead impatiently. Around her the day had shifted into night, shadows lurked in every corner, drawn out by the street lamps. The day had passed in a blur, another tick mark on the calendar.

"Who knew bombs could ever be made boring," Jack said, wrinkling her nose in distaste. "But that professor sure did the job, and very well."

She and Beth had headed to an interview at a nearby university after they left Beth's apartment. Beth was to meet up with the professor who taught pyrotechnics. He showed up two hours late and kept them there for another three with what had to be the dullest speech, even if it was about how to blow things up.

"Well he has the highest reputation as a pyrotechnic engineer in the area," Beth said "And with those recent warehouse explosions there was no question about getting his say."

"So was it worth it?" Jack asked raising an eyebrow.

Before she could answer Beth's cell phone rang. Startled she looked at its screen; it was Mo.

"Hello?" she answered.

Mo didn't bother with courtesies. "Beth there's been another bombing, I need you to get there right away."

"How long ago?" Beth asked. She instantly switched into reporter mode, pulling out a pad of paper.

The bombings had been a string of explosions over the last few days, destroying several large warehouses. Luckily no one had been killed; yet. The warehouses seemed to be chosen at random, leaving the police baffled for a motive.

"And where is it?"

"It was reported almost an hour, you had your cell off."

Beth grumbled. "That stupid interview took forever."

"Yeah well they cops haven't cleaned up yet, there's a body this time."

"That's different."

"Yeah no kidding, but they think it's still the same guy."

"Why?"

"There are pamphlets flying around again."

"You mean the stuff about purging the world from evil hunters?" Beth asked, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

"Yup, so get there quick, it's around Tenant Street."

Beth hung up the same time Mo did and pulled onto the street.

Next to her Jack was grinning wildly. _Now the fun begins, _she thought.

A few minutes later they drove up to a taped off crime scene. Police units, bomb squads, and canines were already beginning to leave while reporters began to swarm the area. Citizens swamped the collapsed building, there was even a stray dog sniffing at the remains. Black chard wood and scorched metal bit the air with jagged teeth, trying to maw apart the very sky. Fragments were buried into surrounding walls, scarring brick and metal.

"Alright let's get the scoop," Beth told herself.

Movement caught her eye and she suddenly remembered Jack. Smacking her forehead with her hand she mentally cursed herself for not questioning the teenager. It was a default of a good story, she forgot almost everything else.

"I keep forgetting you're here," she admitted to Jack.

Jack snickered. "That's okay, you're not the first. Come on, before everything's gone."

Beth tried to talk to her but was forced to follow as Jack got out of the car. She walked besides her, towards the yellow tape, again drawn into work mode. Suddenly a chill spikes up her spine and she notices someone is staring at her. She whips around to see a very familiar set of sunglasses teamed on her.

"Mick?"

"Beth?"

They both said in unison.

"What are you doing here?" Beth asked.

"Investigating for the warehouse owner." Mick replied.

Beth saw his head move slightly to look at Jack. Jack was staring back with a stone face, carefully hiding her emotions.

"Beth can I talk to you for a minute?" Mick asked urgently.

Beth looked at him confused. He was looking past her, at Jack with an almost frightened expression.

"Sure?"

Mick led her into the back of a nearby alley, away from everyone else, and whirled on her.

"Are you trying to kill yourself?" he nearly shouted.

Beth's mind flashed back to last night and she becomes cautious. "Why would you say that?"

"Do you know what that girl is? How did you even meet her?"

"We kinda just ran into each other and she's been hanging out with me ever since. What do you mean what she is?"

"Hello, didn't expect to meet one of my kind here."

A young man walked into the alleyway, his hands held behind his back like a soldier. Blonde hair hemmed a pale face and he had a smile that scared Beth. It was malevolent, coy, like he knew he could do anything and get away with it. Mick stepped forward and put Beth behind him, placing a protective hand on her shoulder. His face was cold and his eyes never left the boy's face.

"Hello Zach."

Beth watched in horror as Jack walked up behind the teen, her face as emotional as stone. Her own stance was defensive, her gaze full of hate. Obviously Jack knew who this person was but Beth feared what the stranger would do to her. He looked frightening enough to be capable of anything.

"Jacqueline," Zach said. His smiled widened but didn't get any friendlier. "I didn't expect you here. Who's your friend? I don't think I've seen him before."

"Leave," Jack told him coldly. "I'm not sure why you're here but I know you well enough to know it's not good."

"Now is that any way to treat a friend?" Zack asked feigning to be hurt. He then turned to Mick. "Nice snack you brought mind if I take the first bite? I haven't eaten all day."

Beth stiffened, fear coursing through her. Fangs unsheathed and eyes icy blue, Zach bolted towards her. Mick crouched down, and charged the vampire, his own fangs bared. They collide and both were thrown backwards, Mick towards the alley entrance and Zach into the nearest building. Before Mick could react Zach refocused on Beth his primal instinct taking over any conscious intelligence. Lust coursed through him and his vision tunneled to only her neck.

Beth took a shallow step backwards, knowing she was looking at death strait in its icy blue eyes. Her throat constricted and felt like sandpaper. She couldn't swallow or breath, the normal hyperventilation out of the question.

Zach smiled knowing he was a predator with its claws closing around its prey, and charged towards her, his fangs aimed at her neck.

Mick watched in terror as Zach neared Beth, his fangs zeroed in on her jugular. Mick's feet slipped against the slick concrete, unable to get a good grip on the smooth pavement. He couldn't move fast enough, he was too slow to save the one human he really did care about. Mick's personal nightmare flashed through his mind, Zach's teeth sinking into Beth's flesh, her blood draining onto the cold, hard, floor. Then her body lying still, pale, frozen like granite on the cruel ground, time ravaging it, melting the flesh off of her bones and slowly even disintegrating them. And he was unable to prevent any of it. Suddenly Jack was standing in front of Beth, her arm raised and Zach's teeth buried in her skin.

Without hesitating she pushed him backwards, snarling as she buried him in the brick wall. He hissed and gripped Jack's arm, twisting it to an unnatural position. It broke with a loud snap and Jack shouted as the pain laced through her arm and up her shoulder. She jumped back for a second before charging Zach again. His attention had turned back to Beth, the overwhelming sense of bloodlust clouding his judgment. Jack high kicked him in the head, sending him back into the wall, and pushed against his throat with her one good arm.

"You even look at this human," Jack snarled. "And I promise I won't just _hold_ your throat."

Zach refocused and Jack took a step back and stared at him, daring defiance. He spat a glob of blood onto the ground and nodded his head at Mick. He had rushed to a terrified Beth's side and held her protectively.

"Be careful with this one," he gestured to Jack. "She'll surprise you, and not in a good way."

He winked at Jack who snarled loudly, then jumped into the air, grabbing the edge of a building and disappearing over its roof.

Beth and Mick watched him closely than turned to Jack who had sunken to the floor, clutching her healing arm. Her eyes were closed and her head leaned on the wall.

"You okay?" Mick asked.

Jack shook her head and a slight moan escaped from in between her lips. Her eyes flickered open to reveal they were still light blue and she stumbled to her feet, using her one good hand to grip the wall.

Mick persisted. "What's your name?"

"Jack," Jack answered in a breath.

"Hold old are you?"

She looked at him unsteadily. "What age do you want?"

Mick looked at her confused. "Both."

"Seventeen and a month."

Mick's eyes grew wide. "When was the last time you ate?"

"Two days ago," Jack responded weakly.

Suddenly her legs gave out from under. Instinctively Mick bolted to her side and caught Jack, wrapping his arm around her stomach to support her. He knew he needed to get some blood into her, a vampire her age needed to eat several times a day because they were trying to replace the blood they had lost when being changed. Not doing so could be fatal. They needed even more blood when injured or they wouldn't heal which was another fatal prospect.

"Easy," Mick told Jack calmly.

"Is Beth okay?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Mick looked at Beth who nodded, her eyes scared but filled with more concern then fear. "I'm fine," she told him. "I'm more worried about you."

Jack foggily nodded her head then nearly passed out from the movement, her weight held completely by Mick.

"I need to get her back to my place," Mick told Beth.

She surprised him by saying, "I'll meet you there."

Beth looked at him in the eyes, daring him to contradict her. Mick didn't want to though; he actually had to resist smiling. She had avoided him ever since Josh's death and he wanted a chance to explain his actions, his decisions, maybe beg for forgiveness.

"Get some work done first," Mick told her. "Don't get in trouble with your boss."

Beth nodded her head and walked back towards the blown up building. Normally she wouldn't hesitate going with Mick, the curiosity of a new vampire too great for her to resist. But as things were right now she needed some time to think, the situation was too weird, her relationship with Mick was too weird, her mind needed a second of normalcy to catch up. So happily she went back to do something she loved, bugging the heck out of people until they answered her questions.

After she left, Jack tried to take a stumbling step forward. "Thanks but I'm fine," she lied.

"You're falling over," Mick stated. "You need something to drink."

To her protest he grabbed her around the stomach and half dragged half carried Jack to the edge of the alley where he sat her on the ground. She leaned up against the stone wall and closed her eyes, cradling her still broken arm which hadn't healed due to the lack of blood. She was too tired to fight anymore.

"Wait here," Mick ordered.

Jack laughed weakly and smiled. "Cuz I can go anywhere."

Mick smiled back, he was beginning to like this girl. Less than a second later he pulled up to the edge of the alley with his car.

"Jack?" he called, stepping out of his car.

The young vampire was slouched on the ground, unconscious. Mick rushed over to her side and gently touched her forehead with his finger. It was warm with a fever, and her fangs could be seen tipping under her top lip. Her breath was heavy and underneath her eyelids her eyes could be seen moving, as if she was having a nightmare.

"Hang on Jack," Mick told her as he lifted her into the car.

He sped through nighttime traffic and made it back to his apartment in record time, moving at a speed that could hardly be passed off as human once out of the car. Unlocking his door he ran Jack upstairs and laid her in his own freezer then rushed back downstairs to grab a bag of blood. When he got back Jack was sitting up, gripping the side of the freezer to steady herself. She didn't respond when Mick walked in. Her eyes were foggy, confused, and she shook her head in an attempt to clear it, that, unfortunately, made it hurt even more.

"Hold still okay." Mick told her.

Jack didn't move in response, barely able to grip consciousness. To her darkness was creeping all around. She didn't like being unconscious, it wasn't like sleeping, sleeping you can wake up from but unconsciousness anything could happen and you'd be helpless to stop it. You were helpless.

Mick drew blood into a syringe, careful not to get any air. Jack could drink the blood but injecting it would get it into her system faster and bringing out a newborn's inner demon in a weak state was not a good idea. He wrapped a rubber band around her arm and sank the needle into her vein. Jack hissed slightly as the blood flowed into her, her fangs retracted and her breathing became easier. But her eyes were still foggy.

Mick looked at her in concern; she was only seventeen, and only a month as a vampire. She was still a kid.

"Where's your sire?" he asked her.

Jack rubbed her forehead. "Got me."

"You don't have a sire?" Mick asked.

It was impossible; any young vampire would turn feral the second they were left alone. Mick knew personally how difficult it was to resist blood when you were first turned, and that was _with _someone to hold you back. The fact that Jack was still sane was a miracle in itself.

Suddenly Jack turned and looked at him in the eyes. Her grey eyes were scared, lonely, and tired, looking more like pits of despair then pupils. Mick fully realized she had been completely alone for over a month after being turned into a monster, ripped away from a normal life she had been shoved into a nightmare with absolutely no one. Not only that but she was trying to deal with the normal overload of emotions all newborns experienced. Her moods had been swinging back and forth and she had managed to lock them in a box to keep from going out of control. Mick could tell that box was cracking and he knew Jack was going to need someone to keep her in check when it broke.

"Do you want to stay here?" Mick offered. He couldn't just let Jack go now, she needed someone, he was not about to push her back into the unending loneliness.

Jack stiffened slightly. "That depends," she said in a wary voice, "what kind of vampire are you?"

Mick looked at her in amazement. "You're worried how I eat?"

She stiffly nodded, caution etched into her posture. Jack knew she was young and stood no chance against any other vampire, the only reason she had won against Zach was because he had let her. He could have easily murdered her.

"Don't worry Jack," Mick told her dangling the back of blood.

Jack relaxed and chuckled slightly. "Thanks, yeah I'd like that. It's funny; I don't even know your name."

"Mick St John, we can do introductions when you're more awake."

Jack nodded her head then sank back down in the freezer, her eyes closing despite her protest. Mick kept guard over her as she fell asleep, watching with satisfaction as Jack's face finally became peaceful as consciousness overwhelmed her.

Life, for them all, was going to get interesting.

_Buhahah__!!!! This is the end!! No I'm kidding, it's not. Next chap will be up soon, sooner than this one was. __Thank you for sticking with me and I seriously promise there will some interesting things going on later, I mean come one you can't have bombs involved and not have it interesting. _


	3. Inquiry

_I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while. School caught up and spring vaca and then I got really sick with like five different things at once so that wasn't fun. So tell me what you think! I eat reviews, if you want my story to be different or you think it could be better tell me! I am not a mind reader, words work better!_

_--_

Chapter 3 Inquiry

Beth hesitated as she stood in front of Mick's door. She wasn't sure if she wanted to see him again, she promised herself that she was mad, that she wouldn't forgive Mick for not changing that fateful day. But Jack was in there. Jack the strange teenage vampire who showed up in her window and saved her from making the biggest mistake of her life.

Beth shook her head in amazement. How had she end up spending an entire day with a vampire and not even known it? You think she'd know the signs by now. And what was Jack's story anyway? Who was she? What the hell had happened to her to change her?

Before Beth could make a conscious decision whether to go in the door swung open to reveal a tired looking Mick. It had only been an hour since she had seen him but it felt like forever.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey," Mick answered. "Do you want to come in?"

"Sure."

Beth walked into Mick's apartment and sat down on the familiar couch. To her the apartment looked the same, a stone that refused to change despite the world being turned upside down. Mick joined her after a second, sitting in the opposite chair. They studied each other for a few uncomfortable seconds before Beth couldn't take it anymore.

"Is she okay?!" she blurted out.

Mick looked at her in surprise then chuckled. "Yeah she'll be fine. Honestly I'm amazed she's still sane."

"Is she really only seventeen?"

"Yeah, as far as I can tell."

"God," Beth said, burying her face in her hands. "She's so young."

Mick wondered if he dared to reproach on what he knew was a sensitive subject. If it went wrong he knew it would drive Beth away, probably for good.

"Beth I…" he trailed off, deciding to switch subjects.

Beth hated him enough as it was.

"What Mick?" Beth asked sounding slightly irritated.

"I offered Jack to stay here, with me, for me to be her sire in a sense. Whoever turned her into a vampire is long gone and she needs a place to stay."

Beth nodded her head. "Good, I'm glad, she needs someone."

They sat for another few seconds of awkward silence when Mick couldn't take it anymore, he had to ask her. He didn't care how much it would hurt him but he needed the truth, if what he thought was reality.

"Beth?" he asked.

Beth looked at him. "Yeah?"

"Do you…hate me?"

Beth looked at him stunned. Instantly her first thought was yes, she would like nothing more than to see Mick out of her life. She hated him for not saving Josh when he could have. But another response tugged at the back of her mind. How could she hate him? She couldn't, there was too much between them for her to have any negative feelings for him.

Images flashed through her mind. The first time they met, in the middle of the night in front of a dead girl's body, the first time he saved her, as a child, and sacrificing his wife's life to do it, when she saved him, in the burning desert, and the sweet but short kiss they shared that night in the parking lot. In all retrospect she loved him. But then other memories surfaced, how he had pushed her away after feeding from her, Josh bleeding on the ground, Mick refusing to change him to save him, telling her he would rather watch her dies as well. No she couldn't love Mick, not right now at least. But she couldn't hate him either.

"No Mick I don't hate you, but…I can't say I like you."

Mick nodded his head. His chest constricted and it became harder to breath, but he could live with Beth's answer. It was safer this way for her, she wouldn't be put into constant danger by being around him.

"I can live with that," he told her.

Beth simple nodded her head. She stood; ready to leave when a loud crash came from upstairs. It was followed by another and than a thumping sound, as if a room was being ripped apart. Beth looked back at Mick who was focused on the stairs, his face creased with worry.

"Stay here," he told Beth then ran upstairs.

Beth rolled her eyes. "Yeah right."

She ran upstairs to find Jack sitting on the ground; her head leaned against the wall. Mick was closing the door but not before Beth caught sight of an obliterated room, glass and metal twisted and embedded into dented walls.

"What happened?" she asked.

Jack rubbed her neck sheepishly. "Panicked. I forgot where I was and when I woke up… Sorry Mick."

Mick chuckled. "Don't worry about it emotions as a newborn are always erratic. All things considering I'm glad you didn't punch right through the wall. I must say though I'm impressed at the carnage."

Jack moaned and buried her head in her hands. "Somehow that doesn't make me feel better."

Mick ruffled her hair, trying to get her attention. When Jack did finally look up she said, "I'm ready to tell you my story."

Beth and Mick looked at each other in shock. Beth was sure they would never get Jack's full story, from what she knew of her Jack wasn't a person who readily spoke. Mick thought they would have to drag it out of her, after a while he knew he was going to end up questioning her.

"Do you want to know?" Jack asked, thinking that maybe they didn't.

"Of course," Beth and Mick said in unison.

Jack chuckle, they were both fit for each other. She didn't know their history but whatever it was had to be bad, those two existed for the other and whatever was holding them back had to be big.

A minute later they were all downstairs, Mick on the chair, and Beth and Jack on the couch. Jack had a glass of blood, she still felt extremely weak but not to the point where she was falling over.

"Where to start?" she asked more herself. She took a sip of the liquid and relished the feeling of it soothing her coarse throat.

"How about where you're from?" Beth suggested.

Jack shook her head and studied the glass, following the design unintentionally wrought into the glass as it was formed. "Not yet, I don't want to think about home." She took a deep breath and decided where to begin. "I originally came to Hollywood with a few friends for something like a day trip, you 

know, girl's night out in the town of fame. It actually turned into a few days because we were having so much fun. Everyone agreed we were going to move out here when we got older." A grin flashed on Jack's face and her eyes were distant. Then suddenly her smile dropped. "I was walking back to the place we were staying at; it was an apartment of my best friend's aunt's. I wanted a soda and her aunt was something of a health nut so she didn't have any. I knew there was a nearby store and the dark had never scared me, I welcomed it in fact.

"I was about halfway back when it happened. One second I was walking, and the next I was on the ground, a searing pain ripping through my skull and my neck. I remember fighting back as best as I could, and something warm dripping onto my neck but after that everything went black. I woke up and everything was _alive_, and you know what?" Jack let out a crazed laugh. "I freakin knew what happened."

Mick and Beth's eyes widened in shock.

"How?" Mick asked.

"I'm weird," Jack said as if it was obvious. "I know about this stuff, most of my friends did. No I'm not some geek whose life is devoid of all social aspects but we were interested in the abnormal. So when I woke up, saw that everything was sooo much sharper, noticed that I suddenly wanted to bite everything that had a heart beat, I realized I was a vampire." She paused, studying a shock stilled Mick and Beth as if waiting a response. "That's probably why I didn't go crazy at first.

After a minute Beth sputtered out, "And then?"

Jack sighed. "I waited, going out during the night just to keep an eye on things try to learn how things worked. Of course it was…very…hard to resist the…temptation of…people." She grimaced. "But I managed to break into hospitals and blood banks and steal bags when I needed to. I've spent the last month fighting a lot of things luckily none of them other vampires. I ended up at Beth's place by accident, I was just running around and I heard some talk about explosions." An elated smile lit her face. "And trust me, stuff blowing up is better than doing nothing."

Beth shot Jack a grateful look, she definitely did not want Mick to know about her slightly desperate action. Jack caught it and winked when Mick wasn't looking. Knowing she wouldn't tell, Beth allowed a small smile.

"So that's it?" Mick asked. He wasn't entirely convinced, especially about how Jack met Beth, but didn't want to push.

Jack nodded. "I've been a very good, bored, vampire, girl."

Mick laughed at her innocent sounding voice. "Alright well, don't expect to be bored anymore," he told her, "I expect you to help out."

"With what?"

"My job, I'm a private investigator and don't think you get to stay home all day."

Jack's smile was from ear to ear. "When do I start?"

**Alright peeps there it is. So tell me what you think k? I'm not one of those people who withhold chapters for reviews but I do love them so give them please -**


	4. Who the hell are you?

**School's out, my life is back together (it's been a bit of a mess that's why I haven't been posting as of let's just say I've started speaking to my father after a few months) and now I can actually. **

**Hate me love me whatever it is just read the lovely chapter below. And for all the Josef fans here's your man.**

--

Chapter 4

"Er, Beth?"

Beth looked up and sprang to her feet. She rushed over to Jack who was grasping onto boxes that towered well over her head. It had been two days since the young vampire had showed up at her door. She spent the first day sleeping and the second day moving in.

"Jeez Jack what's in these?" Beth asked as she staggered under the weight of just one.

"Books," Jack answered. "I'm an avid reader," she said when Beth raised her eyebrows in disbelief.

Able to see again Jack followed Beth into her room. Beth had promised to help her move and had spent the afternoon at Mick's apartment. She was becoming more and more comfortable around Mick again and Jack made it even better. She had a dry sense of humor that had a habit of appearing at the most unpredicted moments.

"How many more boxes?" Beth asked as she put the books onto the floor.

Jack mimicked her and looked around her room. The walls were an ocean blue with white trim. Her freezer was wedged into a corner while a dresser sat against the wall, holding the few cloths she had. Jack intended to get a few things, including a CD player for her collection. If one thing she loved her music and often would drown the world out by setting her headphones on high.

"That's the last of it," Jack told Beth.

"Where'd you keep all of this stuff?" Beth asked. "I thought you were just visiting."

Jack laughed. "I was staying in an abandoned warehouse and I had a bit on money. I raided what garage sales and flea markets I could."

"And you bought books." Beth stated in disbelief.

"Well it wasn't like I was going hunting for a boyfriend," Jack answered in a mumble.

Beth shut her mouth, instantly feeling bad. She tried not to mention anything that Jack had lost from being turned into a vampire, things she would have had as a human.

Jack noticed her expression and said, "I don't mind."

"Don't mind what?" Mick asked walking into the room. "Oh and is this yours?" He held up a stuffed animal jaguar.

"Toby!" Jack shouted. She ran over and grabbed the toy from the PI, hugging it tightly to her. She looked up to see the two adults staring at her, both questioning her sanity. "Hey I've had him since I could remember," she defended herself.

"You can tell by the missing eye," Beth smirked.

Jack looked Toby over, taking in his ripped fur and missing eye.

"So maybe he needs a patch job," she said. "It's not like I've had a chance to learn to sew. Although I think I've got a book here somewhere."

"Oh course you do," Beth sighed. "Mick this girl needs some serious cloths, she's only got a few outfits at most."

Jack cringed. She hated shopping trips. But if it got her out of the apartment…

"In a few days Beth," Mick said but not unkindly. "We should let Jack rest a bit beforehand."

"Mick," Jack whined. "I've slept an entire day. I'm bored."

"Jack it is day," Mick told her. "You can wait until tonight."

"I can live with that," Jack said. She put Toby on top of her freezer and stretched. It was getting close to the afternoon and being a newborn she was starting to feel the fatigue.

"Get some sleep," Mick told Jack.

Beth's phone suddenly rang and she answered it, ignoring the two vampires

"Hello?" she answered it.

Mo's voice rang through. "Beth I've got another one for you."

"Another bombing?" Beth asked in disbelief. "They're getting shorter in between."

"Yeah, no joke. Now are you up for it?"

"Do you have to ask?"

"That's my girl. I'll have a camera man waiting for you there and I want something on my desk by tomorrow. Go get um."

Beth hung up and turned to Mick. "You feel like investigating a case?" she asked with a smile.

He couldn't help but return the gesture. Every time Beth was happy a feeling shot through his body. He didn't understand what this feeling was but for the first time in eighty years Mick felt alive. "Yeah, let's go," he said in an excited tone.

A waving hand caught his attention and he looked at Jack who was jumping up and down.

"Can I—"

"No," he said sternly.

"Come on," Jack whined.

"No. You're tired and it's late, especially for you. Get something to drink then sleep, I'll be back before long."

He gave Jack a stern look before walking down the stairs.

"Sorry," Beth apologized.

"You know I'm not use to anyone else telling me what to do," Jack sighed. Then she winked. "Have fun by the way."

Blushing Beth quickly walked away, unable to stop her mind from wandering to a very good looking PI waiting for her.

A few minutes later Jack listened as two cars sped down the road. She had seen the way the two adults looked at each other. There were definitely sparks. Something happened though and it had driven a wedge between the two. She would just have to work on removing that wedge.

Jack put it into the corner of her mind, saving the idea for later. She went into the kitchen, pouring herself a glass of blood and laying on the couch with her head phones on. Jack wasn't quite ready to crash for the day yet, she still had some energy left and felt like being a little rebellious. It had been awhile since she had been ordered to do something by someone, and even longer that she had disobeyed. It felt good.

So without further ado Jack sat back, closed her eyes, and focused on the genius know as AFI. The loud music blocked out everything, including the doorbell. It wasn't until the scent of another vampire hit her did Jack realize she wasn't alone anymore.

Her eyes shot open and locked onto the oldest individual of her species Jack had met before. He had brown hair and a face that could be terrifying when it wasn't handsome, wore a designer suit, and obviously was use to being in control.

The vampire finally seemed to notice Jack. He turned and looked at her with flat, serious, eyes.

Jack stiffened under his gaze but refused to be intimidated. Still though she knew if it came down to a fight she didn't stand a chance, Mick might not even had a chance. If this guy wanted them dead they were as good as gone. Why else would a strange vampire show up at his apartment but to hurt them? Still Jack refused to go down without a fight.

"What do you want?" she growled. Luckily her voice didn't crack.

Josef glared back. He walked into his best friend's apartment to find some unknown vampire lounging around inside. Mick himself was nowhere to be found, and he hadn't been heard from in a few days. On top of that this _child _was being disrespectful, despite the obvious age difference. His temper flared and he vamped out.

Jack flinched at the transformation. She was in so much trouble. Still she managed to stand and faced him sideways, making herself a smaller target.

That's all it took for Josef. The slightest threatening movement would send him over the edge. He didn't wait to see what a person would do, he acted before they could do it. It was what had kept him alive for over four hundred years.

Josef flew towards Jack and went to grab her throat. But Jack saw him coming and managed to duck and knee him in the stomach. Josef hissed and grabbed Jack's arm. He twisted it back and threw her into the wall. The ply board buckled under the force and a few beams even cracked. Jack kicked him in the side, satisfied to hear a few ribs crack.

Josef stumbled back, loosening his grip enough for Jack to slip out. Falling to the ground she tried to get away, barely ducking in time to avoid a jaw shattering kick.

"I will ask you once," Josef seethed, facing her. "Where is Mick St. John?"

_So he does want Mick,_ Jack thought angrily. In the short amount of time she had known them Mick and Beth had become important people to her. She would do anything to protect them. Truthfully that wasn't much and it scared her that she could do nothing.

"Why would you want to know?" she asked harshly.

Josef dashed forward and grabbed her by the neck, lifting her into the air. Jack struggled against his grip, gasping for air even though she doesn't need it. She felt the vampire's grip tighten around her throat, crushing her windpipe and cracking her spine.

"I will ask you once more," Josef seethed. "Where is Mick St John? I swear if you or anyone you know has hurt you I'll make sure you're tortured accordingly before you're killed."

Jack stared at Josef in shock. Maybe he didn't want to harm Mick, in fact he seemed protective. Black began to hem her world. Josef was literally crushing her spine, causing her body to shut down. Before she could say anything Jack fell unconscious and went completely limp in his grip.

The smell of blood was the first thing noticeable: the sweet, metallic scent that coated her nose and throat with every breath. Her windpipe had been crushed but apparently managed to heal, still, Jack didn't have to move to fell a sharp pain spike down her spine. Apparently bone hadn't healed as well. But there was an even greater pain, spiking in her wrist. It took preference over everything else and was unlike anything Jack had ever felt. It was sharp, burning, and tearing all at the same time, as if her wrist were being lashed open with a red hot poker. Not only that but she was so _weak. _It was incredible; she could literally feel all of her strength being sucked away from her body. Trying to understand where she is Jack cracked open an eye, relieved to see the familiar walls of Mick's apartment. In fact she was on his couch.

"You have a lot of explaining to do."

Jack turned her head, it was the only movement she had the strength to do. The older vampire was sitting in a chair a few yards away, watching her with human eyes. Somehow they were scarier than his vampire ones.

Jack breathed in and out heavily. She moved her burning wrist into view to see a metal band wrapped around it. Somehow she knew that's what was making her sick.

"It's pure silver."

"What do you want?" Jack asked, gasping. It was getting harder and harder to breath.

"Who are you?" the vampire asked harshly. "What are you doing here, and where is Mick St John?"

Jack was fighting for breath by this time. Her eyes began to droop and she could feel unconsciousness begin to pull her back.

"If you don't want me to pass out again I suggest you take the damn bracelet off."

The older vampire studied her for a second then stood up and walked over. He pulled the bracelet off using a handkerchief and threw it towards the door. Instantly Jack relaxed. The moment the silver had left contact with her skin she could breathe easier and the pain lessened. It was as if a thorn had been removed from underneath her fingernails only hundred times more so.

"Finally," she growled, lying back against the cushions.

Josef looked at her surprised but quickly composed herself. He wasn't use to anyone speaking to him like that, especially someone this young. "You never answered my question," he said harshly.

"I live here," Jack said, closing her eyes. All of the lights were on and the sun managed to penetrate the heavy blinds. It was giving her a killer headache on top of everything else. "My name's Jack and I live here with Mick now. You're not going to hurt him right?"

Josef studied her for a second. He realized the young vampire couldn't be lying; she didn't have the strength or the will. Josef wanted to bury his head in his hands but resisted. He was so stupid, it never even occurred to him Mick might be assisting this new vampire. But it's not like it could be expected, Mick wasn't exactly the helpful type when it came to strange vampires. Still Josef could have asked. But he didn't, he attacked her, broke her spine, knocked her unconscious, and poisoned her with silver.

"No," he answered. "I'm Josef, one of Mick's friends. I apologize for attacking you."

Jack shook her head. Her mind was getting fuzzy and she was exhausted. "I really hope you're not lying cause I can't do anything about it. If you are I hope Mick kicks your ass."

Josef had to grin. This vampire may be young and injured but she still had nerve. He stood up and walked into the kitchen, pouring a glass of blood. He looked at the bag offensively. A young vampire needed fresh stuff, it was healthier and was absent of any anticoagulants. But when he went to give it to Jack he found her unconscious.

"Hey," he said, shaking her.

Jack woke up with a start and looked around.

"Here," Josef said, handing her the cup.

As Jack sucked it down while he watch. She had faded much faster than a normal vampire would. For the first time he wondered just how old Jack was.

"How old are you?" he finally asked.

"A month," Jack answered. She was so tired, her greatest wish right about then was to just climb into her freezer and sleep. For about a month.

Josef grimaced. He could have killed her! Attacking her like he had could have killed her, any amount of silver could have killed her. She still wasn't safe. If Jack didn't get more blood to flush out the silver, or sleep to recoup, she still might die.

"You need sleep," he said bluntly.

Jack nodded her head and tried to stand up. As soon as she was above the couch she swayed and fell. Josef darted forward and caught her, draping her arm around his neck and wrapping his arm around her waist, holding her from the ground.

"Thanks," Jack said. She tried to take a step forward but crumpled, her muscles giving out.

Josef picked her up in his arms and carried her to the kitchen, setting her on the counter.

"Hold still," he said, filling a syringe with blood. He injected Jack who gave a sigh of relief, feeling the blood course through her system.

She tried to get down from the counter but the world suddenly tilted. Josef grabbed her before she fell and began to carry her upstairs.

"Third door," Jack mumbled.

Josef silently followed her directions, setting her down in front of the doorway. Jack swayed for a minute but grabbed the frame and shook her head. She could walk at least, if only for a moment.

"Thanks, Josef," she said tiredly.

"Yeah well don't think you're out of the woods yet," Josef said. "When Mick gets his sorry butt home were all going to have a talk."

Jack gave a weak laugh then opened her door. "Yeah well he's on a case with Beth, I doubt he'll be home for a few more hours. See ya Josef," she bade him farewell. Closing the door Jack undressed and slid into her freezer, instantly dropping into sleep.

**So Jack and Josef met with mixed results. What did ya think? If you don't post I'll never know, I'm not a telepath so please review! OH and do you think we should give Jack a love life? This is your time to put in an opinion and it will alter the story. SO yeah, speak up. And that you for sticking with me this far. -**


	5. Sick child

**So I'm going to be away for a bit, about a week + while at camp. YAY! This is the best most tiring most awesome week of my entire year! I basically live off of inspiration (art camp) and coke. Now I usually don't drink soda but I have this caffeine source breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Ever if the food they serve really can't be described as a meal. Oh and sorry, chapters kinda sort.**

**--**

Mick walked out of the elevator when a very familiar smell hit him like a brick wall_. _It was Josef's smell, a mix of his age, cologne, and whatever scents he had accumulated that day. His eyes went wide as his thoughts went to Jack and how the two slightly temperamental vampires would react to each other. He ran as fast as his feet would carry him he almost threw apart his own door only to see Josef lounging in one of his chair with a cup of blood, his young fledgling nowhere in sight.

"Crap," was all he could say.

Josef stood up and walked over to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "That would be an understatement my friend."

Mick studied him with scared eyes, unable how to ask what he did with the young vampire.

"Don't worry," Josef said with a grim look. "She's fine, although we did have an interesting meeting. You, my friend, have a lot of explaining to do."

Mick sighed, relieved. "Where is she?"

"Sleeping," Josef answered, taking back his seat. "She was exhausted before I got here."

"Do I even want to know how you two met?" Mick asked apprehensively.

"Probably not," Josef frowned. "Let's just say that you have no problem with teaching her how to fight. Mick, what are you doing with a newborn? I would have never guessed you would have turned somebody, that's less likely as you eating something other than that prepackaged crap."

Mick sighed. "I didn't turn her, I don't know who did, she just showed up with Beth one day."

Josef looked at him carefully. "You better tell me the whole story Mick."

Mick nodded his head and began. He started with how he had met the young vampire, that she had shown up at the bombing site with Beth, completely at ease around humans, how she had fought Zach, a much older vampire and had been hurt afterwards, passing out later. Mick explained how he had taken her back to his apartment and everything he had found out about her, how she had been turned a little over a month ago and had been abandoned by her sire, wandering around on her own. He ended with his decision to look after the young vampire. She would need someone to teach her everything and keep her under control since she was so young.

By the time he was finished Josef was rubbing his forehead. "Mick you're telling me she was able to keep control after she was turned despite being surrounded by humans?"

"Yeah," Mick said, shaking his head in disbelief. "I almost didn't believe it myself at first but she was so casual around Beth and there's no way she's over a month. Her control is amazing, I've never seen somebody with that much willpower."

"Yeah well you better keep an eye on her. That will isn't going to hold forever. If she attacks someone I have a feeling she'll be more depressed then you."

Mick nodded his head then asked, "Hey Josef why are you so concerned by her anyway? You usually don't take such an interest in a newborn."

Josef looked his friend over, unwilling to answer, to admit he had made a connection of sorts with this girl. Lucky for him he didn't have to because Jack took that moment to walk down the stairs.

"Mick," she said groggily.

Mick took one look at his fledgling and launched to his feet. Her eyes were slightly yellow and her fangs unsheathed. She sagged against the wall in complete exhaustion. If ever a vampire could look sick she did, and to a deathly point.

"Josef," Mick said urgently, running towards her.

Josef, though, was already acting, running into Mick's kitchen and pulling out bags of blood. Mick rushed up to Jack and grabbed a hold of her, catching her when she collapsed in his arms.

"I don't feel so good," she mumbled, burying her face in his chest.

Mick held her tightly, picking her up into his arms. His heart broke at the sight of her so sick. Jack was so innocent and completely dependent on him. She was only a child, his child. "It's okay Jack," he said softly. "I've got you."

Josef ran up to Mick and said, "Here."

"You do it Josef, I have to hold her."

"Mick I--"

"Josef just give her the blood," Mick nearly shouted, panicking.

Jack had fallen unconscious in his arms and her breathing had become labored. Mick looked on at his fledging in fear. She was like a daughter to him now, the whole fledgling sire reaction kicking in, even if he truly didn't turn her. All he wanted to do was see her safe and sound.

But Josef hesitated. This was a reaction to the silver he had clamped around her wrist. Jack was dying because of him and Josef didn't want to screw this up either. Normally he was the calm one, the vamp who knew what to do, but a vamp getting sick was new to him. And he wasn't use to unexpected things.

"Josef!" Mick shouted.

His voice jolted Josef out of his thoughts and he plunged the needle into Jack's arm, injecting the life saving liquid. Both men watched tensely as her fangs slowly retracted and her breathing steadied. Jack's eyes fluttered open for a second to show their true grey color before they closed again and she fell into an uneven sleep.

Mick walked over and laid the young vampire on the couch with Josef following closely behind. A light sweat had broken out on her forehead and her eyes could be seen moving under their lids as if she were having a nightmare. Mick touched her cheek lightly, wishing to make her pain disappear.

"I can't figure out why she keeps getting sick," he told Josef in frustration.

Josef relaxed slightly. Maybe this wasn't his fault. "How often has this happened?"

"Few days ago after she fought Zach. I can't figure it out, she's eating the amount of blood she's supposed to and sleeping. It's just one minute she's fine and the next she looks like she's dying. I was sure it was because she got hurt after fighting but now I don't know."

"I'll look into it," Josef told him. "I know some people who are better versed on the subject of newborns." He put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Take care of her Mick, I'll be in touch."

Josef walked off, leaving Mick to take care of the girl he had strangely become attached to. As he opened the door Mick asked, "Hey Josef where were you by the way? I haven't seen you for weeks."

Josef stared at the floor with a torn emotion on his face. "I was visiting Sara. Take care of that girl Mick, she's worked hard to stay alive."

Mick watched as he walked out of his apartment, wishing he could help in some way, to soften the pain his friend was going through. Jack shifted, nearly falling off the couch and catching his attention. He had to focus on her; she was the one who needed his help the most right now. Josef was going to have to wait.

--

_Alright so what did we think? Good, bad? Seriously I'm a new…not writer but public writer, this is really my only stuff I have for other people to read, this is my schooling, you guys are my teachers. I'm serious about my writing, this is what I would love to do as a living. SO seriously guys please review, even if it's something like, watch your spelling, that's great!_

_Also intro yourself, I don't know many other…scratch that I know barely any other serious writers so I am in dire need of peers and friends. I don't know things about Fanfic either, like how to get into contests or what kinda contests are out there or what the heck a Beta Reader is. I'm going out on a wing asking for info from peeps I don't know but you know what? I don't care. If ya read my stuff I consider you a friend so you have a new friend now -_


	6. Sire

**ME no own Moonlight if i did i doubt i would be here.**

**Enjoy, i owe you guys big time, schools just a jerk adn so is internet connection failure**

Chapter 6

"Today we will be starting on teaching you a few things," said Josef.

Jack stared up at him and Mick from her curled up position on the couch. Both were staring down at her and it wasn't their gazes that frightened her but rather the cutlasses they were holding. Both men had decided it was finally time to teach Jack on how to be a vampire, even though it took them nearly a week to decide on how and at whose house. In that time Jack had been doing nothing but sitting around Mick's house, nose stuck in a book and absolutely bored out of her mind. Now she was in Josef's enormous house-mansion thing, apparently preparing to sword fight with both of them.

"This was not my idea of learning how to be a vampire," Jack mumbled. Truthfully she had absolutely no idea what she would be doing, but figuring out how to sword fight was not one of them.

"You have to master the physical things first," Mick told her in a stern voice, "if you don't you'll end up doing something stupid like pulling the door off of a car when all you meant to do was get in it."

"Swords though?" Jack squeaked.

Mick chuckled and handed his sword to Josef who took it with a frown. He offered his hand to Jack who took it happily.

"We'll start off slow. Josef thought it would be funny to see your reaction to the swords. We will be using them in the future, if for no other reason than to keep you from getting bored."

Jack whirled around to see Josef smirking as he placed the blades inside of a case.

"You mean thing," she hissed.

Mick sighed and demanded Jack to focus.

Jack turned back to him with an innocent expression.

"Nice try, but we really do need you to focus," Mick told her sternly. "The best way for a new vampire to find out how to control their strength is to fight."

Jack opened her mouth to interrupt; she had already fought other vampires.

"That wasn't a fight," Mick interrupted, already sensing what she was going to say. "That was you beating him to smithereens. When I say fight I mean a battle that's actually controlled and not fueled by raging emotions."

"Teach me then," Jack demanded elated. She had been so bored she would do anything as long as she could move.

Mick chuckled again and ruffled her hair. "Be patient I swear you get more hyper every day."

"I've been cooped up for forever," Jack retorted rolling her eyes. "Do you know what it's like being stuck in an apartment without something to do?"

Josef finished placing the swords in a case and walked back to them. "Jack give me your bracelet," he commanded.

Too distracted to care why he wanted it Jack handed the bracelet over half consciously. "So what are we going to do?" she asked.

Josef smirked and shoved the bracelet in his pocket. "We're going to put that energy to good use."

Jack smiled at him. An hour later she was still smiling even though she could barely catch her breath and was flat on her back, a wooden stick shoved into the ground right next to her head.

"Dead," Mick panted, staring at her.

Jack rolled over and dragged herself to her feet. Her muscles were slightly sore and she had a cracked rib that was slowly healing but otherwise she couldn't have been happier. She and Mick had been fighting relentlessly for the past three hours. At first Jack had been amazed at how aggressive Mick was. Before he had always been a lover not a fighter, but he put her on her back enough times to convince Jack that could defiantly fight.

They had started off with simple stances, punches, and kicks since Mick and Josef wanted to see what Jack could do. Of course it had been difficult since this was supposed to be a controlled fight and she still wasn't use to her new strength or speed but a year of Kickboxing as a human had taught her some control. As soon as Josef learned Jack had already been in a fighting sport he quickly rounded up a set of wooden staffs. And that had sparked an entirely new round of fighting.

A few yards off the ancient vampire was watching—as he had been doing the last few hours—with mixed curiosity. Despite Mick obviously being the superior Jack was managing to get a few blows in herself before being knocked to the ground and 'killed'. Josef had to admit that even if she didn't have a history of fighting Jack would still be a natural fighter and aggressor. But even that would have its own set of problems, one of which would ultimately be challengers looking for a good fight. Still she was less than six months old, the challenge now was keeping her alive. When she was a few decades old he would worry about that but for now Josef could concentrate on teaching her control.

"Alright break time," he shouted to them.

Mick trudged over still breathing heavily while Jack nearly skipped. She was extremely happy today, the natural high of a workout emphasizing her joy.

"Jack you need to go get the other half of you staff," Mick panted.

Jack looked at confused then finally remembered she was only clutching about half of her splintered weapon. Looking around she finally spotted the other half lodged into a side of a tree a few hundred feet off of the ground. Its stain was glinting in the moonlight looking almost like metal.

"How in the world?" Jack mumbled, her brow furrowed as she tried to remember when she had lost half her stick. "I'll be right back."

Mick watched her run off and shook her head.

"She's going to be a handful," Josef commented when his friend collapsed on the ground next to him.

"She already is," Mick said. "I haven't had to fight someone that fierce in awhile, even if she is untrained she's got more energy than me."

Josef chuckled.

"Josef," a soft voice called out behind him.

Both vampires turned to see a stunningly beautiful woman dressed casually standing behind them. Josef smiled. "Glad you remembered Candice," he nearly purred.

Candice smiled and walked over, offering him her wrist. Josef took it with a smile, he always did like blonds. Mick watched with distaste but didn't move from his spot.

Away, hundreds of feet in the air, Jack grabbed her weapon tightly with both hands, careful not to disintegrate the wood. Pulling it with as much force as she can muster Jack yanked the weapon from the trunk, holding onto a branch as the tree swayed from the force. She grimaced and brushed her fingers around the perfect hole it had created, hoping the tree would be okay. It would be a shame to lose such a behemoth.

Staff in hand Jack jumped to the tree next to it, landing lithely on one of the top branches, and then jumped to the one next to it. Leaping from branch to branch almost running through the tree Jack traveled back to Mick and Josef, the buzz from earlier still fluttering in her head.

_This was much better than running,_ she thought. Glancing down Jack watched the ground flow underneath her in a ripple of colors. A giggle escaped her lips.

After a minute Jack finally landed into the tree nearest to Mick and Josef. She smiled and held up her broken weapon like a trophy when Josef bit down into a human's wrist.

Jack flinched and half sat half fell back in surprise. She had never seen anyone bite a humane before tonight. There were only three vampires she had ever interacted with—Zachary, Josef, and Mick—and had never seen any of them drink from something alive.

_Of course I should be prepared for this though, _Jack thought swallowing. She was a vampire for God's sake, naturally she should be biting people left and right not sucking down a bag of morgue blood. It was only natural for Josef to feed from a live human.

But instead of making her feeling better, the thought, if anything, made her feel worse. Jack realized how different she was for a vampire, how much an outcast she was…again. Instantly the high she had been naturally living on for the past week disappeared and Jack felt as if she had been thrown back into that month after she had been changed.

As if driven by instinct Mick suddenly looked up. His eyes almost immediately locked with Jack's. She watched as he said something to Josef, too far to hear what it was even with her new ears.

Josef stopped feeding and turned around, his eyes quickly settling on Jack. He whipped around to Mick and the two began to talk extremely fast, too fast for Jack to catch anything from their lips. Each seemed to be getting angrier and angrier; Mick eventually stood and walked over to Josef so he was barely a foot away. Thankfully after a moment the two calmed down and appeared to have come to some agreement. Josef handed over the extremely beautiful and slightly unsteady woman to Mick who once again looked up at Jack, giving his best reassuring smile. Josef meanwhile walked over to the tree and within less than a second was sitting on a branch next to Jack.

"Found my staff," she told him meekly.

Josef looked at her sternly. Most older vampires would have withered under the stare but Jack just looked back. "Is that completely new to you?" he asked sternly.

Jack's attempt at creating a light mood instantly disappeared and she curled her legs up to her chest and rested her chin on them.

"Most vampires would have probably bitten a human by now at least," she grumbled. "Even as a vampire I'm an outcast."

Josef looked at her for the first time in understanding. Her human past was still obviously affecting her, of course it would be it would affect her forever. "This relates back to your human life," he stated.

"Obviously not the whole blood drinking thing," Jack said quickly.

"Well we wouldn't want to make you an outcast would we?" Josef asked her. "You should probably try anyway just so you aren't biased by you sire."

"But won't he be upset?" Jack asked worried. Mick had made his views very clear in the beginning, intentionally and unintentionally.

Josef's face immediately darkened, startling Jack. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck raise and there was an almost undeniable feeling to run away as fast as she could. He was going to stake Mick for making this fledgling terrified of drinking from humans, disrupting a natural instinct like that could be detrimental in the long run, especially if she ever wanted to branch out on her own.

"No he won't, I promise," Josef swore.

Jack said in a quiet voice, "This is completely mortifying. I feel like a teenager whose being taught how to use a fork."

Josef sighed and grabbed Jack, throwing her over his shoulder before jumping to the ground.

"I can walk you know!" Jack snarled.

Josef intended to drop her but Jack landed on her feet instead. She jumped a couple feet away and took a deep breath, intending to calm her nerves. But a sharp scent caught her off guard and Jack almost fell over when the image of flames flickered into her vision. She froze and smelled the air again, taking a deep breath this time and trying to identify whatever the strange scent was.

"If you don't walk faster I'm going to carry you again," Josef snapped. He was beginning to become impatient with her stubbornness. She still hadn't figured out when to listen and when to not, and that natural instinct to obey an older vampire had obviously been left out of her genetic makeup.

When Jack didn't respond Josef swung around with the intention of throwing her over his shoulder and carrying her the several miles to the mansion. At her expression he stopped short though and asked, "What's wrong?"

Jack's answer was barely above a whisper, her expression immensely confused. "It smells funny."

Josef took a deep breath. Sure enough the scent of burning wood and chemicals reached his nose and he frowned. His cell phone rang and Josef had it up to his ear faster than any human could.

"I already know Mick," he said.

"Beth just called there's been a—how do you already know?"

"Your fledgling decided to actually pay attention to her nose. You can smell it form here."

"She smelled it before you?" Mick's tone was teasing and Josef growled a little. "Are you losing your touch Josef?"

"No," Josef snarled. "I was trying to think of ways to go about de-traumatizing your fledgling from drinking blood from a human. You've got her absolutely terrified of it."

There was silence before Mick finally spoke. "Josef that's not something I can really teach—"

"Then maybe she should stay with me for a while," Josef snapped. "You can't impose something like this on someone so young. It's unhealthy, physically and mentally. I should have already been forcing fresh stuff down her throat for her own good."

Rage entered Mick's voice. "I am plenty capable on taking care of Jack, Josef."

"Obviously not or else she wouldn't feel it necessary to hide in a tree while watching another vampire feed from a human, something that should be as natural to her by now as breathing."

"I didn't change her," Mick challenged. "I haven't had her since the time she became a vampire unlike most sires, and also unlike most sires I don't have am extremely deep connection with her. I can't tell what she's thinking most of the time or what she's going to do."

"Which is all the more reason for you to push her because you can't tell so easily when she needs it," Josef hissed. "You go off and run around with Buzzwire, Jack is staying here tonight. Hopefully I can convince _your _fledgling that drinking blood is not something only monsters do." Josef nearly snapped his phone shut, almost breaking the fragile plastic.

"Josef?"

The ancient vamp cursed his thoughtless nature, he had completely forgotten Jack was in earshot. He had not only just insulted her sire but he had also brought up the very thing she was scared of: being different. And now he was going to pay for it. Turning around he saw a furious baby vampire glaring daggers at him. Even though she was young Jack's stare would probably make a vampire decades old quiver.

"Just because Mick has some issues doesn't mean he isn't a great sire," she hissed. "And I don't care if you think you could do a better job, Mick took me in when you probably would have just second glanced me, and that makes him more my sire than anybody else."

She stormed passed Josef. He merely watched her follow the path back to his mansion. It wasn't just anyone who could speak to him that way but Jack was someone he cared about and he could also understand where she was coming from. If anyone had dared to insult his sire Josef would have done much more than just shouted. He began to short trek through the woods back to his house, wondering how he was going to fix this mess.

When his mansion finally came into view Josef saw Mick talking to a very upset looking Jack in the driveway. She had neglected to notice Josef and seemed to be pleading with Mick. He merely shook his head and turned to the ancient vampire.

"Josef."

Jack twisted her neck and looked behind but then turned back to Mick, burying her face into his side. She didn't want to stay at Josef's it was an unfamiliar place and Mick wasn't there. Mick wrapped an arm around her and rubbed her back. He led her over towards Josef who was watching with an expressionless face.

"Keep her safe tonight," he told Josef quietly.

Josef nodded and placed a hand on Jack's shoulder. She sighed and then walked towards the mansion but not before giving Mick a brief hug. This was one of those battles Jack knew she wasn't going to win and she didn't feel like fighting anyway.

"I managed to convince her to stay," Mick said as he watched her go. "I didn't think you would be stupid enough to say all of that in front of her."

"I didn't think she would be so angry," Josef admitted.

Mick rubbed the back of his neck. "Neither did I, I thought that since I'm not really her sire she would be so clingy."

Josef smiled. "Don't let her hear you say that. To her Mick you are more her sire than anyone else."

Mick blew air out of his mouth. Raising a vampire was much harder than he expected and in some areas he couldn't raise her at all. "Drinking from a human isn't something I can teach her Josef but it's not something I would forbid. Although I don't know what will happen if she decides to switch over to this."

"Simple you'd both move in with me," Josef sneered.

Mick sniggered. The day he could tolerate living with Josef was the day hell froze over.

"This one is up to you Josef," Mick sighed. "Take care of her?'

Josef nodded. As Mick drove off he turned back to the mansion where Jack was waiting by the front door. Now for the difficult part.


	7. Mistake

**I**

**Am**

**So **

**Sorry **

**Again I have to apologize for being so slow in posting. **

**I'm kind of creating a new way of writing because what use to feed my muse no longer exist so I have to find something else to feast on and inspire me. I guess it's like I'm changing as a person and as I change so will my art. In a way I'm finding myself because for the first time since I was six I'm allowed to, I don't have to change just to survive in a sense. Of course that does not mean my story will change and become all fluffy and what not ohhhh no you're still stuck with me. But the thought process I have when I do write has changed a bit and I have to get use to it. **

**Plus let's face it school and all the other activities I do don't help. Lol Drama, newspaper, other clubs and what not plus an AP class and a few honors and, well… I'm not complaining at all it's just I'm busy ya know?**

**Anyway thanks for the support! Hopefully now I'll be able to review on a quicker basis. **

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Chapter 7

Mick pulled his cell out from his pocket and hit the speed dial button, listening as the familiar tones dialed. As he waited for the call to go through his mind wandered back to Jack. He felt terrible that he had basically abandoned her. But feeding from a human was something he hated to watch and something even more impossible for him to teach. He shook his head. This was better left to someone else. And who better else than Josef?

The ringing tone cut out, "Hello?"

Mick's face broke into a smile as it did every time he heard her voice. "Beth."

"Hey Mick you almost here? This place is a mess" Beth's voice rang out.

Mick resisted to chuckle, knowing she would get mad. That's what he loved about Beth, her sheer bluntness. It was probably one of the reasons she hadn't run from him in the beginning, because she didn't dance around the fact that he was a vampire but faced it head on. "Yes Beth I'm nearly there."

"Good. Oh gotta go, more reporters just showed up."

Mick rolled his eyes as the click of the phone signaled Beth had hung up on him. Twenty minutes later he turned onto a street littered with police cars, news vans, and people all focused around a black shell of a building. Pieces of wood and metal were skewered into surrounding structures, puncturing brick like it was butter. Shards of glass were scattered everywhere. News reporters were set up on every possible inch of free space talking into microphones and cameras, giving their version on what had happened and what will happen next. Citizens meandered around the streets and sidewalks, held at bay only by the yellow tape and persistence of the police. The boys in blue themselves stood around the site while CSI picked through the rubble, searching the grounds with gloved hands and nearly useless eyes in the dark.

It was ridiculous to Mick. He could see they had no idea what they were looking for. That was something that irritated him, any evidence he could have scented had been destroyed if not from the bomb then from all the humans walking around and contaminating it. Sometimes even his patience with the humans was worn thin.

Pulling into a makeshift parking lot Mick cut the engine and got out, searching the crowd for Beth. He found her, pressed against the yellow tape as she tried to get information out of someone, anyone, who would talk to her.

Walking up he greeted her, "Hey Beth."

Beth spun around in surprise, eyes wide. She instantly relaxed once she saw it was Mick behind her and not the boogie man.

"Oh hey, you startled me," she breathed. Then her brow furrowed in frustration. "What took you so long? I called you nearly an hour ago!"

Mick's smile faltered. "Something came up at Josef's," he answered.

"Oh." Beth looked thoughtful. "So what now? I mean I thought the cops would be cleaned out by now but something is obviously keeping them here."

Mick studied the sight for a moment before sighing. "I'm not sure. I'll check the perimeter but other than that I'm useless."

Beth looked at him with a strange expression.

"What?" Mick asked puzzled.

"You're never useless," she said softly.

Mick attempted to give her a smile but had the feeling he failed miserably. He hated the way Beth saw him sometimes, she needed to just accept that he was a monster and move on with her life. And yet he couldn't convince her to stay away. That stubborn part of the woman would be her undoing. And maybe by his own hands.

But another side of Mick, a very strong part of his conscious, which pulled and screamed and argued with his good sense said otherwise. It freely admitted he was in love with the human, the little blonde hair human that was young enough to be his granddaughter. And that was wrong, completely wrong. It was just another one of the many reasons Beth and him could never be.

"I'll look around," Mick said. He had to get away from Beth and quickly or he would be able to run away later and inevitably would hurt Beth.

Beth watched him turn away with a frown. His voice had dipped low to that miserable tone she had unfortunately become accustom to. For a while there Beth thought maybe she was getting through to him that he wouldn't consider himself a monster. She knew it was a long shot and apparently a futile one. And for once Beth thinks she might have realized why.

Mick didn't want her.

It made sense the distance, the hesitation, the unwillingness to show compassion. Beth wasn't good enough for him she wasn't enough to erase Mick's prejudices against himself. He had already proven that on the day of Josh's death when he seared the fact into her brain that he would change no one. And that included Beth. Even if her death was imminent, if she was shot and bleeding and cold on the sidewalk it wouldn't be enough for Mick to save her. He would rather lose her forever than keep her forever.

Anger surged through Beth an explosion searing her brain and wits. Who was he to tell what was good for her? Who was he to toy with her, just to leave her hanging and alone?

Her teeth gritted together sending shocks of pain through Beth's bones btu she completely ignored them.

No man had the right to fuck with her heart and definitely not when she trusted him. Beth's independence was something that had always been a part of her personality it was one of the things she cherished. It only now occurred to her how Mick had slowly been chipping that independence away since they met. And maybe that would be okay maybe Beth could have learned to love and rely on someone else for once. No, she knew she would have learned and she would have loved to trust herself to another being. Mick would have been that being if he hadn't gone and broken her heart.

And then agony subdued every raging emotion like a bucket of ice water. Beth's knees shook and she almost collapsed to the ground. She was losing the one person she had always relied on, even if she did so subconsciously her life had been guarded and later one wrapped around the figure that is Mick. Beth was losing the one being who made her heart beat fast her hopes never dim and her bravery never fail. In her entire being she knew her love for Mick was real. It still needed to grow but it was there, blossoming in her heart every day until it clogged her lungs with joy. And yet to Beth's misery her love was being stomped on with every doubt Mick had about himself.

_Why did I have to fall so hard? _Beth asked herself. _Why didn't I notice until it was too late? When did he get such a hold on my life?_

A warm stream of liquid streaked down her left cheek. Beth shook her head fiercely at an attempt to dispel the tears but they wouldn't stop leaking from her eyes. Damn Mick for making her cry, damn him for choking her heart, and damn him because her mascara was now probably running and she looked like a mess. If he was going to screw with her emotions he could at least have the courtesy to do it outside of purpose.

Walking towards Greg, the man who had handled the camera tonight, Beth suppressed the urge to growl. He had done nothing but stare at her all night. _Just another pig looking to get into someone's pants, _she thought.God Beth hated men.

Passing him she snapped, "I'm going home."

"But what about the report?" Greg called after her.

Beth ignored him and continued walking away. She had already done the report buzzwire didn't need another one. If Maurine had a problem with it she could bitch to Beth later.

Without looking back Beth stormed over to her own car, freezing when she noticed a familiar vehicle parked directly behind hers. Her teeth grinding together and she wretched open the driver's door, jamming the keys into the igniting so hard it was a shock they didn't go all the way through the steering wheel. Yanking on the drive gear Beth backed up until she was a few inches from Mick's front bumper. She considered for a moment leaving him a present in the shape of a giant dent but then remembered it would hurt her car also and she really could not afford to pay repairs at the moment.

A sigh escaped Beth as the spite and fury washed out of her again, replaced with a numbing despair sensation that made her flesh crawl. Tears no longer ran from her eyes but her arms felt limp as if the mere action of holding up her hands were too much. In a daze Beth pulled out of her parking spot and onto the main road.

Mick hadn't meant to break Beth's heart she knew that. Heck he hadn't hardly spoken to her. It was realization that had broken the relationship. Beth finally understood just how little she meant to the…vampire.

She cringed at the word.

Never before had the stereo type been associated with Mick, it seemed monstrous to compare him to such a bloodsucking nightmare but now Beth accepted him for what he was. And maybe that was another reason she wasn't good enough. How was a mere human supposed to compare to a vampire? Mick was a higher creature, one that could snap her neck with the twitch of her wrist and one that could probably love more passionately than any normal man.

Lights shined in Beth's eyes. Her eyes snapped to attention and she realized with amazement her own lights were bouncing off of the concrete wall that made her apartment's parking compound.

With amazement dulling the numbness Beth got out and stared at her car for a minute, wondering if it had learned the route itself and taken her home. She shook her head fiercely. Great now she was wondering if her car had suddenly spurted intelligence and taken her home because it knew how distressed she was.

Chocolate and a bath and maybe a good book…and perhaps a drink later that's what Beth needed. God knew she needed it.

Twenty minutes later Beth was wrapped up in a wool blanket on her couch a bag of chocolate nestled in between her lap. She had abandoned the idea of a bath, deciding it was too much work. Reaching over and grabbing the clicker was also too much work. The mental exhausted was overwhelming, drugging Beth until she felt as if she could barely move her limbs and the anger towards Mick was completely gone, replaced by sheer depression. Beth had completely lost him and it was her own damn fault. Maybe if she was more tolerable more patient she could have waited for a little while longer. But Mick's self doubt was beginning to affect her life and if there was one thing she learned from Josh's death it was life was short and could end at any moment while Mick had all of eternity she as hell didn't. Maybe Beth wouldn't be happy with someone other than Mick and maybe she would. But as things were with him now she could never be happy.

So that was it. Beth was finished with Mick St John.

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Jack watched Josef walk towards her. Her eyes and fangs unsheathed and a low rumble sounded in her chest. She was still pissed at Josef for what he had said about Mick and just because her sire told her to play nice didn't mean she had to. Teenagers were suppose to disobey every once in a while.

Josef ignored her growl and continued walk. As he passed the teen he grabbed her arm and hauled Jack to her feet, dragging her backwards and into his mansion. Jack fumbled with each step and snarled as Josef manhandled her. She had been shoved and pushed and yanked on all of her life and she refused to allow it anymore. As soon as Josef released her arm Jack snarled and whipped around, hatred carved onto her face. Josef answered with his own screech, his blue eyes and fangs flashing to life.

"You can kill me if you want," Jack growled. Her body was beginning to shake from the fury, fear, and anguish rolling in her body. "But no one handles me like that anymore."

Jack's words froze Josef and he stared at her in shock. She actually thought he wanted to kill her? That was ridiculous and not just because Mick might actually kill him but because Josef liked the vampire too. She was family to him now. He cared to her.

And then Josef realized the emotions he was filling the air with, emotions of intolerance and the urge to fight Jack into submission. Immediately the vampire retracted his fangs and blue eyes and reigned in his feelings, pissed at himself that once again he forget how sensitive fledglings were to emotions. It had been some years though.

It was only after he could focus on her could Josef notice Jack's shaking frame and how she was nearly gasping for each scrap of air. There were unshed tears that wet her eyes and she shook her head once, averting her gaze to the ground. Had his emotions caused this, Josef wondered. No not like this and Jack had been furious before not...frightened. What had sparked this fear?

"Jack?" he asked cautiously.

At vampire speed Jack's hand darted up to her face, wiping away tears before she finally looked up at Josef. The ancient vampire was surprised to see her eyes as cold as steel, completely devoid of any emotion. And then as if a flip was thrown life returned to Jack's expression and she gave a weak smile.

"Sorry," she apologized. "I guessed I'm a little emotional. I didn't mean to snap Josef." Her smile broadened almost becoming real but Josef was too old and knew people too well to miss the misery in the back of Jack's eyes. She couldn't erase all of the pain even if she wanted to.

"Come on I came to learn how to be a vampire," Jack said with sudden fierceness. "Now are you gonna teach me or not?"

She walked past Josef with lighthearted steps but it was impossible to miss the shudder that ran through her body as his arm brushed against her shoulder. As she disappeared behind a wall Josef whipped his cell phone out and went to press a familiar number. His finger froze a millimeter above the surface, his brow furrowing in consideration. Suddenly Josef snapped his phone shut and jammed it back into his pocket. This time Jack would have to tell him why, why she had acted like that. It was almost as if his touch…

A snarl snapped from Josef's throat. Of course, Jack had said _again_. He didn't need to ask her now she had unintentionally put all of the pieces in front of him and he had just put them together. Someone had hurt Jack before and Josef had triggered old memories and old emotions she had managed to bury in her mind. Whatever monster had harmed her needed to be put out of their misery. To hurt Jack was inexcusable and to traumatize her like that was unforgivable.

Guilt, the kind he hadn't felt in a long time washed over Josef. He had caused that trauma to revive itself. But then it almost instantly disappeared. How was he supposed to know touching Jack like that would have such a violent reaction?

_I know nothing about this girl, _Josef realized. And it shocked him. He knew everything about everyone. And if he didn't he found out quickly because it could mean his life and the lives of those he cared for. Too many times had his own stupidity and lack of information led to a death of someone he loved. The only reason Josef could produce for his laziness was that Jack had been with Mick. Stupidly Josef had treated her as if she was an individual that would brush in and then out of their lives when in reality she would be a permanent fixation. He vowed as soon as Jack was back with Mick he would have his people look into her past if for no other reason than to punish the person who hurt her. But for now there was another job Josef had to do.

Following Jack Josef walked into the next room. He saw Jack sitting on the couch, hands clasped together, brow furrowed as she stared at the ground. Her leg was pouncing close to vampire speed a sure sign she was nervous.

"You come here often?" Josef teased sitting next to her.

"Ha ha Josef," Jack said. She didn't look up from the ground though.

Her stomach felt sick and her limbs jittery. At first she had been confident she could do this easily since it was the instinct of her kind but now Jack was terrified. What if she lost control? What if she hurt the human? Or even…killed them? Would Mick want her? She knew if she killed Beth wouldn't, Jack would have murdered one of her kind. Josef might take her in but the real question is, if she killed, would she be able live with herself.

"You'll stop me if…if I get out of control right?" Jack asked, finally looking at Josef.

The ancient vampire smirked. "Trust me the last thing you do will hurt my girls."

Jack shook her head. "I'm afraid that when I taste it I'll just be gone, out of my mind. I've seen it happen before with bloodlust but also with anger and I'm just scared."

Josef nodded. Jack wasn't like many other vampires she truly worried she was going to hurt her food. Most others wouldn't even care if their meal survived. During his own baby years Josef had killed many times without any bite of remorse but he had been raised old fashion and during a very different time.

"You won't hurt any of my girls," Josef promised. "And I'm not saying that just to make you feel better. I care for my girls more than most do and if I could help it no one would ever hurt them."

"Thanks Josef," Jack whispered. She took a deep breath and exhaled through her nose, anxious to just get this over with.

Josef nodded and flipped open his cell phone and began to talk into it. He called over to the house where the girls lived. It was visible from the main house and truthfully each girl live in more space than most in LA. He spoke for a minute with Alexandria a beautiful blond who had a very exquisite very rare B- blood type and a positively unforgiveable body. She also happened to be something of a den mother to the other girls since she seemed to understand the most about vampires' taste and would know who was in and who was out.

"I would recommend Mary," Alexandria suggested. "Before you she had at a couple of other places. Apparently she has this uncanny ability with vampires that have just been turned, kept them calm."

"That's what I had thinking," Josef said.

He had fed from Mary a few times and she radiated serenity. He didn't know if it was her personality or just the way her blood was but something about her was reassuring and Jack needed all of the reassurance she could get.

"She's there correct?"

"Yeah one minute please Josef." Alexandria was silent for a moment before she said. "She's coming. Do you want me to call the others back for a little while?"

Josef smiled. Alexandria sometimes knew more than he would ever give her credit for it was one of the reason she was one of his favorites.

"Yes," he answered. "And Alexandria?"

"Yes Josef?"

"Come up in a half hour." With that Josef hung up and turned back to Jack who was still staring into space her expression almost pained.

Josef sighed and shook his head. If she had been his fledgling Jack never would have been afraid to drink from someone, she would have had it from hour one.

"Calm down," he commanded. "You'll do fine."

Jack took a deep breath and closed her eyes, holding it. She held it for five minutes until a side door opened, revealing a medium height girl with short brown hair and a round face. She was of course beautiful but held a sort of humbleness Josef's other girls didn't have with her minimal makeup and jewelry but beautiful nonetheless. When she walked into the room Jack's eyes snapped open crystal blue and she sucked in a deep breath, letting out a low hiss.

Josef smiled. Good, the hunger was getting to her. Instincts were more rational when it came to blood than a conscious effort if they began to control her convincing Jack to feed live would become much easier.

Josef walked over to Mary and smiled but it wasn't friendly, it was the smile of a hunter.

"I heard there's a newly turned that needed my help," Mary said giving her own smile. She had watched Josef stare at her like this many times it was nothing new. If anything she thought he looked playful. Inside Mary understood there was a predator roaring to come out though and should she ever do Josef wrong he wouldn't be hesitant in releasing it on her.

Josef's smile lightened and he looked over his shoulder to see Jack staring at the two of them hungrily. Her hands were clasped tightly in her lap and she was sitting on the edge of the couch, ready to pounce at any twitch or movement.

"She's not exactly newly turned," Josef told her. "But this is her first time drinking fresh."

Mary's brow furrowed in concern and confusion. All newly turned vampires had to drink fresh or they risked dying or transforming into a feral maniac.

"She's had a bad beginning," Josef told her. And that was all he was going to tell her. His girls were special to him yes but they were only human. Even if Mary was somewhat special it wasn't Josef's story to tell it was Jack's.

Walking back over to Jack he introduced the two before he began to instruct Jack how to feed from a person. The fangs were retracted once they pierced the skin or they just got in the way of the blood flow. The best way to numb the bite was to provide a positive emotion to the human while feeding, most of the time it was the vampire's feeling while they fed. The joy of feeling and tasting good blood was enough to distract the host from the pain.

But a vampire could, of course, invoke feelings of pure lust, love, and joy though those were generally saved for special occasions. But a vampire could also induce emotions of misery, hatred, and fear although it was frowned upon in the society and usually made for bad business. Bars and clubs wanted to keep their girls willing to work and happy because it kept vamps coming back. If there was an individual who was known for hurting a

Josef furthered explained to not gulp the blood down. Take it too fast and the person will pass out and probably be sick: always a party spoiler. Besides you always wanted to take you time to taste the blood.

"Although this time I doubt you will anyways," he snickered.

Jack managed a small smile but she was still worried. Everything Josef was saying was really going in one ear and out the other. Her thoughts were eating away at her conscious and nerves until there was only a thin strand of courage left. It was ridiculous. Something so natural to her species such as drinking blood should not be causing her this much distress. Jack prayed instinct would be enough to get her through this because her conscious wasn't going to cut it.

"Do you understand?"

Jack turned to Josef and blinked. What had he said? "Uhh…y-yeah, sure," she stuttered.

Mary gave a reassuring smile. "Don't be worried I've don't this before."

"I'm glad one of us has," Jack mumbled.

Josef chuckled. "I swear you're as negative as Mick. Mary if you would."

Mary smiled and held her wrist out to Jack who hesitated before taking it in both of her hands and bringing it towards her mouth. She opened her mouth and listened to Josef as he instructed where the best place was to bite. He understood this was a crucial time for the fledgling. If she didn't do this right Jack may never feed from a human, at least not for several decades. The girl had a conscious that rivaled Mick's and in some ways surpassed it.

Steeling what nerves were left Jack obeyed and bit down softly. As her fangs broke the skin and blood rushed into Jack's mouth shock and froze her body. Lights and colors flashed like fireworks strobe lights. Static filled her ears. Her body shook from the pure pleasure as the warm blood slipped down Jack's throat, as her spin tingled like someone was running a feather sensually up and down her skin.

The blood was sweet but salty, liquid velvet as it ran down her throat soothing the burn that seemed to constantly plague the soft flesh. It was so good the best tasting thing substance Jack had ever had the privilege of sliding over her tongue. It didn't burn like the morgue blood and there was no metallic aftertaste. There was just sweet, soft, warm blood.

A force suddenly jerked Jack away from the blood. Instinctively she snapped open her mouth so her fangs wouldn't tear at the flesh of the soft human underneath her grasp, making them bleed more than necessary. She snarled. How dare anyone try steal her food away? She would tear them into pieces and burn their body until nothing but ashes remained! This was her blood!

Whipping around Jack planned to behead the enemy who dared interrupt her when Josef's face flashed into her sight. The half erupted snarl coursing her throat froze. Terror filled her face but her mind went blank as Jack realized what she wanted to do, what she was so close to trying to do.

_I was going to kill him, _Jack realized in horror. _I wanted to kill him. _

"Jack," Josef said his voice low and steady. "You need to let go of Mary."

Jack eyes flickered down to her hands and she realized Mary's arm was still clutched in her fingers, the skin bleaching white by Jack's crushing grip. She knew in a few hours purple marks would crisscross the skin in the shape of her fingers. Jack released it instantly.

"Jack."

Josef was watching the fledgling warily. The whole situation had been a disaster. Jack had become so lost in that monster he had expected her to attack him when he touched her. He was waiting for her to snap.

"Jack," Josef whispered.

When the young vampire shook her head without looking at him he lurched towards her, hand outstretched. But for the first time in a very long time Josef was too slow. Jack's coat barely brushed his fingertips as she bolted out of the back door at vampire speed, tears threatening to flood her face.

Josef sighed and rubbed his face before turning his attention back to Mary. The poor human was laying limp across her seat, her chest heaving with each gasping breath she drew and her face as pale as a vampire's. Josef gently picked her up and laid her across the couch so she would be more comfortable. He gently picked up the arm Jack had bitten into, grimacing at the inch long gashes by the wrist her fangs had made. He licked it gently and watched as the wound stopped bleeding.

"Josef," Mary breathed out.

"Shh you'll be fine," Josef assured her softly. His girls were a sensitive spot in the vamp's heart. He was desperate to comfort Jack but at the same time he needed to make it so Mary would be fine alone.

"I saw them Josef," Mary panted. Her face screwed into a tormented expression her eyes squeezing shut. "Her memories little bits and flashes. She's been so hurt."

Josef drew a deep breath his mind whirling. It was impossible, emotions were transferred during a feeding but that was the end of it, nothing more. No vampire had ever been able to have that sort of mental connection no creature could connect to another so much they could transfer images. None that were known at least.

Then again that sort of power wasn't something that an individual wanted broadcasted. And Jack's emotions had been so _strong _when she bit into Mary even Josef could clearly feel them. The fear, anguish, lust, and even pure joy slammed him hard enough to knock the wind out of his chest. Maybe just maybe she actually could…

Josef shook his. This was not good. If Jack possessed a certain power it would draw attention from certain people.

Josef softly grabbed Mary's face and forced her to stare into his eyes. "Did you actually see actual memories?" he asked trying to keep the desperation out of his voice. "Pictures and views and people?"

"No," Mary croaked. Tears were drawing down her cheeks. Jack had left behind such misery it had lingered in the human's veins. "Well yes. I don't know Josef." A sob escaped her and she buried her face into his hand. "She was so sad and scared before."

_No one handles me like that anymore. _

_What has this child gone through? _Josef asked himself. "Will you be alright by yourself for a while?"

Mary nodded but didn't say anything. Josef stood up slowly so as not to startle her but once he was out of her grasp he ran at vampire speed outside. He expected to see Jack leaning against the wall or pacing close to his house. She was always in control enough so that he expected her to stay close.

"Foolish girl," Josef growled as he realized she wasn't in sight. A younger vampire that unstable was ready to turn rogue at any point. Her emotions were raging out of control, completely forcing her body to twist and turn and run as her lungs craved oxygen she couldn't seem to catch and her mind craved sanity she couldn't seem to find. Josef was stupid to think Jack could stand to stay nearby. Every instinct of hers was transforming her into a manic, telling her to run. And she would until she either collapsed from exhaustion or someone caught up with her, held her still, and forcibly calmed her down.

She was stupid, completely demented to run off. Jack would get herself killed if not by a human with a good gun than by another vampire who thought she was rogue. Or she could simply piss someone off enough. Plenty of older vampires were completely intolerable of others unless they had at least a few decades under their belt and wouldn't hesitate to snap the neck of an irritating fledgling. She didn't how vulnerable she was or how important. Not only had Josef taken a liking to her but Mick would be devastated if he lost Jack. The ancient vampire doubted he would ever be able to carve his friend out of the depression that would no doubt cripple his friend at her death. Not even blonde would have a shot in hell of getting him back to normal. What in the name of God had possessed Jack to do so irresponsible?

Realizing screaming in his head was doing no good Josef forced himself to bite down his anger. Ten minutes. Ten minutes and if he didn't have her back he would call Mick. He preferred not to but her was her sire and deserved to know.

Taking a deep breath Josef tasted the air and watched as Jack bolted from his house faster than he thought she could ever run. He could see tears and confusion shaping her expression and sighed.

Josef shook his head. How had this all gone so wrong? Where did things go from being fine to crumbling in his hands?

Josef followed the scent trail far behind his house nearly losing it when Jack had spontaneously taken a sharp turn to the left. Ten minutes later he found himself in the same field he and Mick had first taught Jack to fight when her smell suddenly flooded the air. She had stopped to try and get her bearings before running off again but by doing so Josef had completely lost the trail. Her smell was simply everywhere. He growled in frustration tracking was not his forte it was Mick's.

"Mick," Josef groaned. For once he feared his friend might actually be able to cause him some damage. He'd have to make sure to hide the weapons well, very well. As if the fates were deciding to be cruel Josef's phone rang. He glanced down to see the caller ID flashing the one name he did not want to see at the moment.

"Mick," Josef answered.

The moment he heard Josef's voice Mick knew something had gone wrong. He swallowed the panic down before asking, "What happened?"

"I made an amateur mistake," Josef mumbled. "How far away are you?" He heard the roar of an engine accelerate in the background.

Mick's harsh voice came through the phone, "I'll be there in ten minutes."

"Mick," Josef began, "I need you to drive on the roads around my house."

"Where is she Josef?" Mick growled.

Josef paused before admitting, "I don't know Mick."

The phone line went dead.

She needed to go faster. Jack didn't understand where she was going. She didn't know where she was. But she did know she needed to go faster. If she went faster she would be further away so she would go faster, she would do anything to get away from the blood. The blood was the link. It had crumbled every single wall built in Jack's mind, years of construction had been torn away in less than a second leaving the memories to flood back into her conscious until Jack could no longer see the present.

A gurgling sound rippled through her chest and Jack gripped the sides of her head, freezing on top of a branch. She curled up into a ball and tried to stop the flood of images that had managed to break the temporary barriers desperately formed in the last thirty seconds. Old friends, old enemies, betrayal, parental destruction, drunken nights, bright lights, strobe lights, mistakes, hesitating dilemmas with severe consequences, all were flashing through her eyes highlighting the pure pain and exhaustion. Blood had dredged up every musty emotion and heartache Jack had ever experienced and then shut into a corner of her conscious. She was being forced to relive a childhood that had long since been buried in the attempts to retain a shred of sanity.

A rubber band in Jack's legs snapped and threw her forward into a sprint through the tree tops. Run, run, run, run, that's all she could do was run. Pure panic coursed through veins and skin. If this continued she wouldn't survive Jack would physically tear herself apart before she experienced this amount of pain again. It had nearly killed her before but this time it undoubtedly would. Suddenly Jack's body began shaking so extremely her foot slipped on the wet bark. She didn't even try to grab onto other branches as they flew past in a blur of brown and green. There just wasn't a need to. She looked up into the disappearing canopy with the calmness of a man who had faced his demons and was laying on his deathbed, welcoming the end of his existence with serene joy.

Time seemed to stretch forever in those few seconds between air and ground. Eternity opened its gates as the universe showed itself to the insignificant vampire who only a month ago was a slightly more insignificant human. With the sense of an epitome Jack realized this was the last time she would fall. From here on out she would either rot like a common irrelevance or she could pull her pieces together and attempt to live on and heal. Either way this final slip up was the last time she could survive being reduced to reliving her past as she had for years, this was the last time she could survive after dropping from such a great height. Being turned into a vampire had only sped up an inevitable decision Jack would have to make at some point in her lifetime: either evolve or perish. She was terrified to do either but it was impossible to run anymore, within the next few months or years or maybe decades Jack's will was either going to be strong enough to endure this new life or it was going to snap and she would cease to exist. It was that simple.

Jack's back slammed into the hard ground. She let out a gurgled scream her eyes widened and she sucked in a breath. But it was only the shock of hitting the ground so hard that warranted such a reaction there was no pain only numbness. And now there wasn't a muscle that would twitch on command. Jack body's had before been so willing to move, to run, like there was a monster chasing after her but now it was as still as stone and heavy as lead. As Jack's body refused to move her mind was forced to calm. The panic subsided to the point where she could think somewhat clearly but the ache in her chest to be with someone familiar still ate at her heart like a parasite. Why was she so stupid to run from Josef? He was a friend someone who was going to help her. And familiarity was what Jack was craving right now.

"Jack!"

Jack's eyes widened in shock at the familiar voice and she laughed out loud. She kept laughing and couldn't seem to stop the situation was just too much. Great on top of everything she was becoming hysterical. Maybe she was finally cracking under everything. It would make sense she had been through quite a bit the past couple months.

"Jack!"

The sound of snapping twigs finally snapped Jack out of her hysterics. Laughs turned to tears and she screwed her eyes shut trying not to cry. Mick cleared the line of trees in front of Jack, looking around wildly. His eyes fell on his fledgling, widening in sheer panic as he took in the crater she was laying in.

Jack opened her eyes and sucked in a breath trying to blink back tears. "I fell," she admitted.

Mick was at her side in a second, cradling her in his arms. Jack buried her face in his chest while silent tears streamed down her face. She was so tired and hurt and miserable. Everything had gone so horribly wrong she didn't even want to go on, what was the point of life if everything was so hard?.

Like someone had thrown a light switch sleep began to ebb at Jack's consciousness and before she could understand what was happening she was asleep.

Mick sighed and studied his fledgling with remorse. She was covered in human blood and torn clothing, truly looking no more worse for wear physically but mentally he was terrified Jack had been scarred. The first time drinking blood had become a traumatic experience and now the question was would she drink it again?

Mick's own experiences told him no.

And now his fledgling's fears mimicked his own. That was not something he wanted to happen, it was one of the reason he gave control to Josef this one time because Mick didn't dare to risk imposing his own irrational reservations on drinking fresh. But something had gone terribly wrong and now Jack probably wouldn't ever drink fresh again.

As gently as he could Mick picked Jack up bridal style and began the short walk back to his car. She was sleeping soundly, her breathing even and her face peaceful. He couldn't help but wonder if that was truly how she was feeling or if her body was just so tired it refused to show any emotions.

Taking out his phone Mick called Josef who was undoubtedly still out in the woods somewhere. It wasn't often his friend made a mistake but when Josef did he always personally fixed it.

Mick flinched.

Is that what he considered Jack drinking human blood, a mistake?

"Mick did you find her?" Josef asked. He sounded out of breath. Yep still out in the woods.

Mick grimaced, the state of how he found Jack flashed into his mind. "Yes, about a fifteen minute run into the forest. Every few miles I stopped to see if I could smell her or hear her or something. Luckily she was close enough to the road where at one point I could."

"Is she okay?"

Mick growled. He understood Josef was feeling guilty and for good reason. If he hadn't been so overconfident Jack would have been guarded better and wouldn't have had the opportunity to run off. "She passed out in my arms Josef."

There was a sigh from the other end. "I feel like an idiot."

Mick ran his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath. It wasn't all Josef's fault not at all. If Mick was a decent sire he would have had the gall to teach his own fledgling how to drink fresh, he wouldn't have allowed his own stupid animosities to get in the way of her health. But he did.

Defeated by his own stupidity Mick asked in a deflated voice, "What now?"

"Bring her back I have rooms for both of you."

"Thanks."

Josef snorted. "For what Mick? Screwing up?"

"No for doing something I couldn't do for something I wasn't brave enough to do."

"I don't deserve thanks Mick, I fu—"

Mick cut him off. "Jack never would have had the opportunity if it wasn't for you because you and I both know I'm too much of a coward. And I don't need to hear your self-loathing right now. All I want to do is get Jack in a freezer and some sleep and then maybe get a glass of blood myself. Now shut up. I'll be at your house in ten minutes."

Josef listened in surprise as the phone clicked off. He had never heard Mick so authoritative before especially not towards him. Josef was still wondering how a little girl could cause such a change in one of the most monotonous vampires in all of history when Mick walked through the door, carrying the girl in question. The shock wasn't as bad for him as it was for Mick. Josef had seen the bloodied cloths before and he didn't have to see the sheer desperation in Jack's eyes.

"She's burning up," Mick told him curtly.

Josef walked over and placed his hand on Jack's forehead. He wouldn't go so far as to say she was burning up but there was a slight fever. It was nothing some cold wouldn't fix.

Josef nodded. "Follow me."

Josef led Mick up the stairs and into a bedroom that until a week ago had been a storage room.

"I've never been in here before," Mick commented as he noticed the dark wood bed and dresser.

Josef walked to another door and opened it to reveal a much smaller room painted black. Frost laced the wall thanks to a freezer adorning the middle of the floor.

"It's for Jack," Josef explained. "Since you and blondie seem to be getting pretty close I considered you two might actually _do _something and I'm sure poor Jack doesn't want to hear that. Not to mention you're a little sadistic when it comes to control and that manages to get onto even my nerves. Can you imagine how berserk a teenager would go? But this isn't the way I wanted to give it to her."

Mick smiled sadly. Sometimes his friend amazed him. Most of the time Josef seemed as cold as ice and heartless but then the ancient vampire would go and do something like this and remind Mick why he was his best friend.

"I'll be downstairs with a glass of blood and you better come down with a story," Josef stated. He walked out of Jack's room, closing the door behind him and feeling like he had just closed off a part of his life. Something had just occurred, he wasn't sure what, but it would change all of them.

As soon as Josef shut the door Mick rushed to get Jack into the freezer. There was just one problem. Tattered as they are Jack was still dressed and she wasn't waking up any time soon to fix that problem. Stiff cloths were horrible to awaken to but still Mick was hesitant to actually undress Jack. She was a young girl for God's sake! It was indecent, abhorrent something morally and ethically wrong in every twisted way.

Mick shook his head.

He wasn't doing this for any reason other than to assure Jack was actually going to get the sleep she desperately needed. Damn his own conscious if it was going to judge him and damn anyone else that would judge him. C0ld was a necessity to vampires. Jack was like his daughter and Mick would take care of her and that meant doing what was necessary.

Trying to preserve her modesty Mick quickly undressed Jack and laid her in the freezer, sealing the lid so she would get as much cold as possible. Her face looked so calm and peaceful but he knew that wasn't how she was feeling. Mick began to wonder if he would still have Jack when she woke up or a shell of the girl he had come to care for.

He was afraid of the answer.

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_Review! My muse is dying! Feed her! _

_Alright what did you think? Don't be harsh give suggestions with constructive criticism don't just murder me please. And I know right now it's a little confusing, this is the first glimpse of Jack's past we've gotten a glimps of but this is a hug part in the story so don't be afraid all will be explained. _

_And hey question: what is Josef's head security guy's name? Let's see if you guys can come through. I really do need the answer though or I'm going to make up a name and if I do I can't get yelled at because I asked first. _

_Thanks again! _

_--FateBreaker7_


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